Teacher Zone

Before the fur trade, the Beaver, Chipewyan and Cree were self-reliant on the rich resources of the Athabasca region. They fashioned tools, clothing and shelter and obtained all their food stuffs from the environment which surrounded them. First Nations people across Canada have always had a special relationship with the land and animals. An excellent example is the way in which Aboriginal Peoples on the Plains utilized every part of the buffalo, letting little go to waste. First Nations cultures have a deep respect for the earth, often referring to it as 'Mother Earth'. They also recognize that everything in nature is connected. This concept is often referred to as the 'circle of life'. Plants, animals and the environment are interdependent, working with one another in creating the ecosystem and becoming a part of the food chain. The earth feeds the plants and animals that in turn feed the people. When someone died, their body would feed the plants and animals. First Nations had to be aware of everything happening to the land, in the air and in the water in order to live successfully off of what Mother Nature provided. Aboriginal People were excellent observers, demonstrated for instance by their recognition that certain animal behaviors signaled changes in the weather.

Aboriginal Peoples knew the habits of the animals they hunted, trapped and fished. Detailed traditions about the animals, the land and human behaviour were passed on from one generation to the next through stories. Many groups used controlled burning to maintain grasslands in order to support the bison and the small mammals on which fur-bearing carnivores such as lynx, fox and wolves depended. Moose took advantage of the secondary growth, which occurred along the edges of the meadows. In the Peace-Athabasca Delta, spring flooding also maintained early successional habitats and the lakes and rivers supported beaver, muskrat, mink and otter. Mature forests provided food and shelter for caribou, marten and other animals. A complex community of vegetation and animals produced a secure resource base on which residents still rely today.